Improvement in portable fences



M. BuRTLEss.

Portable Fences.

'Patented July 13, |875.

No. 165,439. f

MQW/

N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFNER, WASH! UNITED STATasw :PATENT OFFICE.,

MAHLON BURTLSS, OF SENECA FALLS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE FENCES.

Specification forming part of LettersgPatent No. l 65,439, dated July 13, 1875 application filed Mayan 1875. i

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MAHLON BURTLEss, of Seneca Falls, in the county of Seneca and State of New York, have invented a certain l new and usetul Improvement in Fences; and

gular stakes, as hereinafter more fully set forth. 4

A A A represent the several panels oi' the fence. B B are the bases or beds. They are made of cast-iron, preferably about three feet long, more or less, and are arranged crosswise of the fence at the intersection of the panels. Each base consists'of a bar, a, and two hollow feet, b b, formed at the ends of the bar. These feet are ot' angular form, as shown, the base at t-he bottom, the apex at the top, and their size is such as to give a firm and solid support to the fence on top oi' the ground. The feet are hollow, and formed with sockets or holes c cin the sides and bottom, as shown, through which pass iron stakes cl d, crossing each other in an` gular direction, thereby pinning the feet to the ground. The bar a, which projects downward, extends into the hollow feet, giving strength, and resting above the stakes, as shown at f. In the center ot' the bar is an open socket, g, which receives the ends of the coincident panelsof fence, and at the ends are hooks h h, which receive loops of tension-braces C C. These braces eX- tendto the top of the panels, and are se-4 the loops t' are connected with or removed from the hooks h by simply turning them flatwise and slipping them over the heads, and when in place they are held securely and without danger of accidental displace- A n important advantage of' the angular feet is, that a double socket or bearing, c, for each stake is furnished, one at the top and the other at the bottom, at some distance apart, whereby the stakes are kept stift' in their angular position, and cannot be easily thrown out ot' the ground by frost or violence. By means of this double bearing of the stakes in their sockets the feet and the stakes are firmly connected together as a whole, and cnn neither be easily raised from the ground nor sunken into it, nor be thrown sidewise. In addition to this the hooks h for the attachment ot' the braces are formed entire with the feet.

The fence thus constructed is cheaper than wooden fence with iron posts or ordinary iron supports. The bases B weigh from seven to eight pounds.

This fence is adapted to all localities where fence is required; but more particularly to a prairie country, where fencing-posts cannot readily be obtained 5 and, from its portable character it can be put up or taken down with great expedition, which will recommend it to use in the western country.

Having thus described my invention, I do not claim, broadly, an iron base or support for a wooden fence, neither do I claim, broadly, the use of cross-stakes, as such have been used with a wooden base;v but What I claim as new is In Witness whereof I have-hereunto signed- The cast-iron base B, consisting of the bar my name in the presence of lcwo subscribing a, and hollow angular feet b b, constructed Witnesses.

with the sockets c c for receiving the angu- MAHLON BURTLESS. lar stakes d d, and with the socket g for hold- Witnesses:

ing the panels of fence, as herein shown and R. F. OSGOOD,

described. E. B. SCOTT. 

